All Hallows Read - Wicked Lovely

I keep saying that I am not a fan of books featuring fairies or the fey, and yet, here I am, reading another book featuring the Fair Folk. I thought that this might be a good read for Halloween for those among us that aren’t the biggest fan of horror. So, here we are. 

Title and Author: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Publisher: HaarperCollins

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy from (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org 

Aislinn has seen faeries all her life. She hides this secret as she knows what will happen to her if the fae discover this truth. So, she lives by three simple rules: don’t stare at the invisible faeries, don’t speak to an invisible fae and don’t attract their attention.

She thought these rules would keep her safe. But now powerful and dangerous faerie are stalking her, including Keenan, who is positive she is important to his and the Summer Court’s survival. But Aislinn isn’t going to give her humanity so easily… but it might already be too late.

All Hallows Reads - Lords And Ladies

What’s Halloween and spooky reading without some witches to cause havoc? And what witches are best suitable for havoc and mischief than the Witches of the Discworld…

Title and Author: Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett

Publisher: Transworld

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Audiobook borrowed from local library & BorrowBox app

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

After the events of Witches Aboard, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Margat have returned to Lancre from their holidays and discover that things aren’t quite right. Margat finds herself engaged and to be married to the King at Midsummer, Granny seems distracted lately and the someone has been dancing round the stone Dancers and crop circles have beginning to appear. And last time those happened, the Lords and Ladies came…

All Hallows Reads - Sword Catcher

This post is a long time coming. Why, I hear you ask? Because I have been reading my limited edition Advance Reader Copy of Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare for approximately FOUR MONTHS!

Ok, a bit of backstory is needed. But at the start of Summer this year, the lovely people at Black Crow PR emailed if I fancied going to a limited edition event for Cassandra Clare’s upcoming novel, Sword Catcher, her first adult fantasy novel. I replied very quickly saying yes, and thought nothing of it. I just thought it would be the publisher chatting about the book and meeting up for other bloggers who I haven’t seen in years (investigation only been to one book blogger event this year and I think that was the first time in a while due to work and COVID). And I knew Cassandra Clare would be at the event, but I thought that she was only there to say hi and have a quick chat as even well-known authors need a holiday. So, off I went after work, feeling sudden very anxious and very old (everyone at the event was SO YOUNG! I felt like a fossil in blogging) and, out of nowhere, I was gifted a beautiful, limited edition hardback proof and then, Cassandra Clare did a signing!

I knew that I was going to read this very slowly. I wasn’t going to rush. I was going to savour, but I hoped this would hold my attention. I thought this would take me a month or two. Maybe even the whole summer. Not well into autumn (though have you seen the UK weather lately?!). But, ha-ho! We’re here so let’s get chatting!

Title and Author: Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Tor/Pan MacMillan

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher and PR Company, Black Crow PR, in exchange for an honest review/reaction

Buy From (Affiliate): uk.bookshop.org

In the city-state of Castellane, young orphan Kel is taken from his old life in the vibrant, lush world of royalty and peril. He becomes the young prince, Conor’s, guard and body-double: his Sword Catcher. He has one purpose: to die protecting the Prince. 

Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But soon, her path and Kel crossed and get pulled together by events outside of their control via the ruler of Castellane’s criminal underworld, the Ragpicker King. 

But things are happening in Castellane. The Ragpicker King is losing his grip on the criminal underworld, whispers of an attack on the royals and the Charter families and people are beginning to double cross each other. If everyone isn’t careful, things will spiritless out of control and will end in fire and blood…

All Hallows Reads - Spooky TBR

I know I should have planned my Halloween reading/TBR lists in advance. But am a mood reader, so when have I ever done that?!

But I do have titles on my radar that I know I would like to read over the course of the month. Highly unlikely, truth be told, but these titles feel like PERFECT reads and listens so I thought a little post to shout a few titles out would be a good idea. Plus, you might think that there would be good reads for you as the nights draw in for us lot in the Northern Hemisphere (there will be affiliate links in this post when referencing titles in this post.

All Hallows Reads - Grishaverse Fairy Tales

Let’s start the spookiness with some fairy tales, shall we?

Well, I say fairy tales. They’re folktales from the world of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse . Now, I only done two (and not the whole collection from The Language of Thorns), which were released individually – The Too-Clever Fox and Little Knife. Both I did via audiobook from local library and both have the same feel to it so merging their write-ups together.

Companion folk tales to novels Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising, The Too-Clever Fox is about a fox who has escaped traps all his life. But just because you avoid one trap, doesn’t mean you will escape the next. While Little Knife is about a young woman whose beauty causes discord in her town that her family makes plans to have her wed. But plans will go awry, like the turning of the current in a river…

All Hallows Reads

My brain decided this back in August, but I wanted to make my future reading months fun. And Halloween and spookiness jumped to mind (as well as something linked to Jay’s Virtual Pub Quiz - but that idea needs more thinking over). 

I am not a summer person. The other seasons are more me, but I do like Halloween. In theory. In practice, not so much. But this year, I wanted to add some spookiness to the reading. Sorry. SpoooOOOOOOoookiness (see what I did there? Ghostly). 

But I am not much of a horror fan. I love a good creepy read, but I am not a fan of horror. Plus, there is something really creepy about the depths of evil and darkness we human beings have. So, yes, I want to spooky reads, both normal and paranormal. Join me for the next few weeks as I decide to try and creep myself out. 

Oh, you want to know what stories I have in mind? Maybe these clues will give you a clue…